Mail signalling device



Nov. 14, 1961 w. HILL, JR 3,009,139

MAIL SIGNALLING DEVICE Filed Feb. 25, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. WEZB /V ///L L ,Nr k u i 47'7'OE/VEYS. I

Nov. 14, 1961 HILL JR MAIL SIGNALLING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1959 FIG. 4.

INVENTOR.

H/z. 4 d2.

Vl/El. EON

WWW v @m ATTOE/VEYS.

United States Patent 3,009,139 MAIL SIGNALLING DEVICE Welbon Hill, Jr., 1533 Independence Ave. SE., Washington, D.C. Filed Feb. 25, 1959, Ser. No. 795,374 3 Claims. (Cl. 340-281) This invention relates to signalling devices, and more particularly to a signalling device adapted to be mounted adjacent a mail slot to provide a signal when an object is inserted through the mail slot.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved mail signalling device which is simple in construction, which is easy to install, and which provides an audible signal responsive to the insertion of a letter or other object through a mail slot.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mail signalling device which is inexpensive to fabricate, which is neat in appearance, which is relatively compact in size, and which is reliable in operation to provide an unmistakable audible signal responsive to the insertion of a letter or other object through the mail slot associated with the device. Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an improved mail signalling device according to the present invention, shown installed on the inside surface of a door, the device being mounted over the mail slot in the door.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross sectional view, to a smaller scale, similar to FIGURE 2 and showing the position of the mail signalling device when a letter is inserted through the associated mail slot.

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end portion of the pivoted contact-carrying arm associated with the abutment member of the mail signalling device of FIGURES 1 to 5, showing the manner in which the insulating contact-carrier is locking-1y engaged with the supporting fingers of the arm. I

Referring to the drawings, the mail signalling device is designated generally at 1'1 and comprises a hollow body 12 adapted to be hingedly connected to a door, 13, or to any other body provided with a mail slot 14.

As shown, the body 12 may comprise a generally semicylindrical main wall portion 15 which is closed off at its respective ends by end walls 16 and 17, and which is provided with a substantially flat front wall 18. The hollow body 12 is pivotally connected to the door 13 by a horizontally extending hinge assembly 19 which thus supports the body 12 for swinging movement away from the door 13 responsive to the insertion of a letter 20 or other object through the mail slot 14, as will be presently explained.

The front wall 18 is formed with a generally rectangular aperture 21 adapted to register with the mail slot 14, as is shown in FIGURE 2, the wall 18 being provided with an inwardly projecting flange 22 extending around the aperture 21, thus providing a generally rectangular conduit communicating with the aperture 21 and registering with the mail slot 14. The end walls 16 and 17 are formed with rectangular notches 25 and 26, and secured to said end walls adjacent said notches and aligned therewith are respective channel members 27 and 28 whose inner edges terminate adjacent to but which are spaced from the ends of the rectangular conduit defined by the flange 22.

Secured to the upper end portions of the front wall 18 above the respective channel members 27 and 28 are respective pairs of vertically disposed angle brackets 29, 30 and 31, 32. As shown in FIGURE 5, the angle brackets 29 and 30 are provided with vertical flanges 33, 34 which are aligned with the space between the' channel member 28 and the adjacent end of the conduit definedby the flange 22. The lower portion of the vertical flange 34 is provided with a lug 35 which extends transversely over the edge of the flange 33. The vertical angle bracket 32 and the angle bracket 21 are provided with respective flanges 36 and 37 which are spaced apart to define therebetween a space which is substantially in vertical alignment with the space between the channel member 27 and the adjacent end of the rectangular conduit defined by the flange 22. The flange 36 is provided with a pair of horizontally extending, opposing, rigid supporting arms 38, 38 which are of generally triangular cross section and which supportingly receive therebetween a plate member 39 of insulating material formed with triangular grooves at its edges receiving the triangular arms 38, 38, whereby to support the insulating plate member 39 therebetween. The plate member 39 is provided with a pair of contacts 40, 41 which project inwardly from the insulating plate member 39.

Designated at 42 is a generally rectangular horizontal abutment member which is disposed between the flanges 22, 22 provided above and below the rectangular aperture 21 and which is substantially coextensive in area with the mail slot 14, being slightly smaller than said mail slot, as shown in FIGURE 4. The member 42 is provided at its ends with the inturned flanges 43 and 44 which are secured respectively to lugs 45 and 46 provided on the ends of supporting arms 47 and 48 pivoted between the respective pairs of flanges 37, 36 and 33, 34 at 49 and 50, as shown in FIGURE 5. The arm 47 is provided with rear extension 51 which is formed at its end with a pair of opposing fingers 52, 52 of triangular cross section, similar to the fingers 38, 38 previously described and disposed in parallel relationship thereto, as shown in FIGURE 2. Supported between the triangular fingers 52, 52 is an insulating block 53 formed at its opposite edges with triangular grooves 54 which slidab-ly receive the fingers 52, 52 as will be clearly apparent from FIG- URE 6. The insulating block 53 is provided with a pair of contacts 55, 56 which are conductively connected by a jumper plate 57. The contacts 55 and 56 are in opposing and aligned relationship with the contact elements 40 and 41 of the stationary plate member 39.

The arm 48 is provided with a rearward extension 58 which is provided at its end with a lug 59 extending parallel to and spaced inwardly from the lug 35, as is clearly shown in FIGURE 4.

A first coiled spring 60 connects lug 59 to a bracket member 61 secured to front wall 18. A second coiled spring 63 connects one of the fingers 52 to a similar bracket member secured to front wall 18, whereby the springs 60 and 63 bias the abutment member 42 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 2, namely, toward the mail slot 14.

Mounted on the intermediate portion of front wall 18 is a conventional buzzer 64. Mounted on the top portion of the hollow body 12 is a suitable terminal strip 65 carrying a pair of terminals 66 and 67 which are connected by suitable conductors to the terminals 68 and 69 of a terminal plate 70' mounted on the rear surface of the door above the device 11.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the wires connecting the terminals 66, 67 to the terminals 68, 69 are flexible so as to allow free swinging movement of the body 12. Terminals 68 and 69 are connected to a suitable source of current, for example, the secondary of a step-down transformer which is energized from the domestic power lines.

Terminal 66 is connected by a wire 70 to one terminal 71 of the "buzzer 64. The other terminal 72 of said buzzer is connected by a wire 73 to the stationary contact 41 on block 39. The remaining contact 40 is connected by a wire 74 to the terminal 67.

When a letter 20, or similar object is inserted through the mail slot 14, the letter engages the abutment member 42, causing the abutment members to be rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 2, whereby the contacts 40 and 41 are bridged by the contacts 55 and 56 and their connecting jumper 57. This occurs while the hollow body 12 swings freely away from the door 13 to allow the letter 20 to be inserted through the slot. The closure of the contacts 40 and 41 establishes an energizing circuit for the buzzer 64 comprising the supply terminal 68, terminal 66, wire 70, the buzzer winding, the wire 73, the bridge contacts 40 and 41, the wire 74 and the supply terminal 67. Therefore, an audible signal is given when a letter 20 or similar object is inserted through the mail slot 14, notifying the occupant of the premises that mail has been delivered thereto.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the arms 48 and 47 are formed with offsets 80 at their lower portions to allow the ends of the arms to be fastened to the ends of the abutment member 42 which is located between the flanges 22, 22 and substantially in the aperture 21 of front wall 18. Sufficient clearance is provided to allow the abutment member 42 to move freely between the flanges 22, 22 responsive to engagement of a letter 20 therewith when the letter is inserted through slot 14. Rotation of the arms is of course limited by the engagement of the contacts 55, 56 with the contacts 40, 41.

While a specific embodiment of an improved mail signalling device has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A mail signalling device comprising a hollow body, hinge means at the upper edge of said body adapted to be connected to a door or the like to pivotally support said body over a mail slot, said body having a fiat wall portion adapted to be disposed adjacent the door and formed with an opening shaped to register with the mail slot, a vertical plate-like abutment member pivoted in said body on a horizontal axis located a substantial distance above said opening, said abutment member being normally disposed substantially in said opening, whereby it is engageable by an object inserted through the mail slot, contact means in said body operated by said abutment member, an electrical signal device mounted in said body, and a pair of terminals on said body connected in circuit with said contact means and signal device and adapted to be connected to a source of current.

2. In combination, a member formed with a mail slot, a hollow body pivoted to said member over said mail slot and having a fiat wall portion disposed adjacent said member and formed with an opening registering with said mail slot, a vertical plate-like abutment member pivoted in said body on a horizontal axis located a substantial distance above said opening, said abutment member being normally located in and being substantially coextensive with said opening and being engageable by an object inserted through the mail slot, and contact means in said body controlled by said abutment member and closing responsive to the inward movement of said abutment member resulting from the engagement therewith of the object inserted through the mail slot.

3. In combination, a member formed with a mail slot, a hollow body pivoted to said member over said mail slot and having a flat wall portion disposed adjacent said member and formed with an opening registering with said mail slot, a vertical plate-like abutment member pivoted in said body on a horizontal axis located a substantial distance above said opening, said abutment member being normally located in and being substantially coextensive with said opening and being engageable by an object inserted through the mail slot, contact means in said body controlled by said abutment member and closing responsive to the inward movement of said abutment member resulting from the engagement therewith of the object inserted through the mail slot, an electrical signal device mounted in said body, and a source of current connected in circuit with said contact means and signal device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 363,574 Ball et al. May 24, 1887 630,203 Elrod Aug. 1, 1899 764,233 Field July 5, 1904 1,654,643 Gennoy Jan. 3, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS 450.007 Germany Sept. 26, 1927 

